The executives behind the new, unnamed coalition said they would create a company “free from profit-making incentives and constraints” to focus initially on “technology solutions that will provide U.S. employees and their families with simplified, high-quality and transparent healthcare at a reasonable cost.”

This is big news! In my perspective, this is also extraordinarily good news for the rest of us….

The future of healthcare services

These 3 companies are essentially setting out to build healthcare services from the ground up. Because of their massive size (roughly 1 million employees and market value ~1.6 billion), it would be expected that they should be able to overcome many of the barriers that today represent the same challenges for innovation. I expect them to be experimenting across multiple dimensions, experiments that are sorely needed and could catapult our existing healthcare marketplace forward. Likely it will change it completely!

What innovations may see?

No doubt technology will play a role. New Business Models for sure. New paradigms and existing ones that will be accelerated.

Technology and assets that will be leveraged

Technology will be foundational. The consortium will take advantage of its existing massive infrastructure, knowledge and massive expertise in innovation across industries to produce interesting new value propositions, both for its users and the potential businesses.

Technology will be used to innovate across the different customer journeys / job-to-be-done’s, including:

leveraging tech such as AI/ML with gamification type scenarios for prevention. This lowers total cost of treatment and secures engagement around the business model.

Leveraging various modalities, including mobile and wearables, for earlier diagnosis and throughout care.

Leveraging cloud and an ecosystem of solutions and partners, with intelligence built in, to match the right provider to the right patient.

Blockchain for ensuring that this massive ecosystem is self-sustained and optimized, with data stored and accessible when needed.

Accelerated use of Robo-Doctor concepts and leveraging ML/AI across the lifecycle o the patient

Alexa playing a central role as an interface between the patient, caregivers, family and other stakeholders

A definite increase in the value of wearables across the consumption of healthcare services